Alaska Hike and Kayak

Welcome to Alaska – the ultimate playground for outdoor explorers. Your adventure kicks off in Anchorage, the gateway to Alaska’s parks and wilderness adventures. At 10 am, gather for a welcome meeting to meet your trip leader and fellow adventurers, share your excitement and get an overview of the journey ahead. Next, head to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where you’ll learn the stories, culture and traditions of all the Alaska Native communities, like Dena’ina and Yup’ik, offering a deeper connection to the land you’ll soon explore. After, you’re free to freshen up, rest or check out Anchorage’s lively downtown. Maybe grab dinner at a local eatery, soak in the first of many mountain views or explore the city’s art and music scene. This is your time to ease into the adventure and maybe start connecting with your new travel community.

After an early breakfast, set out along the Parks Highway to Denali National Park – six million acres of Alaskan wilderness. Keep your eyes peeled for caribou, wolves, eagles and other wildlife along the way. Stop in Talkeetna to stretch your legs and share lunch with your group. Once at the park – home to North America’s tallest peak – stop by the visitor center for a safety overview, then step into the untamed backcountry for your first trail adventure. The route and pace are your groups to shape – together, your group will choose a hike that matches your energy, curiosity and sense of adventure.

Today’s hike begins by winding through the dense spruce forest along the Triple Lakes Tail – the longest in Denali Park and full of views of stone-lined Riley Creek. Towering mountains frame the distance as you move along creeks, forests and rolling hills, until the first of three lakes comes into view. From here, you’ll either continue further along the trail, or turn back to the trailhead and return to the hotel for a relaxing evening. Either way, the day is about moving at a pace that feels right, soaking in the landscapes and connecting with both the wild of Alaska and your fellow adventurers.

Set out this morning on a scenic drive along the Glenn Highway toward Palmer, surrounded by mountain views and with plenty of chances to pause and take it all in. Your destination is the legendary Matanuska Glacier – Alaska's largest road-accessible glacier, stretching 27 mi long and 4 mi wide, offering an opportunity to step on its ancient ice. Don your ice cleats and helmet and explore the glacier on foot alongside an Alaskan guide and glacier expert. Feel the crunch under your shoes, discover hidden crevasses and learn about this landscape that formed thousands of years ago high in the Chugach Mountains.

Take a slow morning before setting out on another scenic drive to Seward, one of Alaska’s oldest and most picturesque towns. Along the way, pause at viewpoints along Turnagain Arm to take in the dramatic coastline and rugged peaks. Continue toward Seward, the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, with a vibrant harbor filled with local galleries and boutique shops. Head out to an included dinner in Seward tonight with your group, sharing stories from the trip so far.

Enjoy a change of scenery as you venture out onto Resurrection Bay on a full day kayaking and rainforest hiking adventure. Learn about life in Seward from your trip leader as you travel to the shoreline. After a quick briefing, hit the tandem kayak and paddle around the calm waters of the bay with your partner, soaking up the mountain vistas as you keep an eye out for sea otters, seals, porpoises, bald eagles and leaping salmon. Then, explore Tonisna Point with its ghost forest, tall waterfall and green scenery. Break for a trail-side picnic deep in the forest before wandering down to the beach for a shoreline walk – a welcome contrast to the glacier and deep-woods terrain you’ve been traveling through.

Before you leave Seward today, you'll have time for a classic Alaskan walk to view Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park, where you can pause to hear the glacier creaking and shifting. It’s then time to drive back to Anchorage, marking the end of your adventure when you get there around 3 pm. If you’d like to extend your stay, simply speak to your booking agent ahead of time.